Diaphragmatic breathing

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Diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal breathing, belly breathing, deep breathing or costal breathing is the act of breathing by contracting one's diaphragm creating room for the lungs to expand down, rather than laterally through the expansion of the rib cage. Due to the lung expansion being lower (inferior) on the body as opposed to higher up (superior), it is referred to as 'deep' and the higher lung expansion of rib cage breathing is referred to as 'shallow'. The actual volume of oxygen taken into the lungs with either means varies. Attaining maximal lung expansion may require both diaphragmatic contraction as well as rib cage expansion, as the amount of room created by the abdominal depression or rib stretching may not create an adequate enough vacuum space on their own. This deep breathing is marked by expansion of the abdomen rather than the chest when breathing. It is generally considered a healthier and fuller way to ingest oxygen[1], and is often used as a therapy for hyperventilation, anxiety disorders and stuttering. Some yoga and meditation traditions draw a clear distinction between diaphragmatic breathing and abdominal breathing or belly breathing. The more specific technique of diaphragmatic breathing is said to be more beneficial.[2][3][4] Although the diaphragm is the primary breathing muscle, it is believed that many people have little sensory awareness of it, almost no idea how to engage it more fully, and even how it works. Some breath therapists and breathing teachers believe that because of the increasing stress of modern life and the resulting overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, as well as of the idealised hard, flat belly, many people carry excessive tension in the belly, chest, and back, which makes it difficult for the diaphragm to move freely through its full range of motion.[5]
Contents
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1 Overview 2 Exercises 3 Caveat 4 Stuttering/Stammering 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit]Overview

Performing diaphragmatic breathing can be therapeutic, and with enough practice, can become a standard way of breathing. To breathe diaphragmatically, or with the diaphragm, one must draw air into the lungs in a way which will expand the stomach and not the chest. It is best to perform these breaths as long, slow intakes of air allowing the body to absorb all of the inhaled oxygen while simultaneously relaxing the breather. To do this comfortably, it is often best to loosen tight-fitting pants/belts/skirts (nude also works well), as these can interfere with the body's ability to intake air. While at first one may not feel comfortable expanding the stomach during breathing, diaphragmatic breathing actually fills up the majority of the lungs with oxygen much more than chest-breathing or shallow breathing. Many yoga and pranayama teachers believe that the most complete and fullest way of breathing is the "three-part breath," also called in yoga "The Complete Breath," which includes diaphragmatic breathing as the first step, followed by thorax expansion and then chest expansion. This method of breathing is considered in Tantric yoga to facilitate the greatest flow of life force through the body. There are several variations of the "three-part breath"; however, many breath therapists and breathing teachers maintain that this approach can create breathing imbalances and other problems.[6]

[edit]Exercises
A common diaphragmatic breathing exercise is as follows: 1. Sit or lie comfortably, with loose garments. 2. Put one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. 3. Slowly inhale through your nose or through pursed lips (to slow down the intake of breath). 4. As you inhale, feel your stomach expand with your hand. 5. Slowly exhale through pursed lips to regulate the release of air. 6. Rest and repeat. Another diaphragmatic breathing exercise for raising oxygen levels in the blood and energy in the body is to take several negative breaths, immediately followed by an equal number of positive breaths. During negative breaths, one inhales, immediately exhales and then holds one's breath for a short time. The emphasis is on keeping one's lungs empty. Negative breaths reduce the amount of oxygen in one's blood. During positive breaths, one inhales, holds one's breath, and then exhales. The emphasis is in keeping one's lungs full of air. Positive breaths increase the oxygen in one's blood. Although not always taught, continuing to breathe into the chest at the same time can provide an ever more "fulfilling" exercise. The goal is to have the entire torso move in and out when breathing, as if one is surrounded by an expanding and contracting inner tube.[7]

[edit]Caveat

One thing to note is that for some, the diaphragm is dysfunctional, in which case one should focus on slow inhalation and exhalation (through the nose and pursed lips). During stress and anger, we tend to inhale and hold our breath. The most significant, therapeutic aspect of this breathing is the exhalation which is at least twice the length of the inhalation. The exhalation alerts the body that it can relax and resume essential body functions and not remain in a state of "fight or flight".

[edit]Stuttering/Stammering
A form of diaphragmatic breathing (often referred to as costal breathing) is taught by several therapy programmes including the Starfish Project and the McGuire Programme as a method of treatingstuttering. Many people who stutter have reported success in using diaphragmatic breathing to help them gain more control over their speech.[8][9]